Identification device for vehicles



March 1 1927.

H. c. Ro ss ET AL IDENTIFICATION DEVICE FOR VEHICLES Filed April 8, 1926 4 I I, l i A a i a a 5 1 1 cj- Z 2 15 4 1 I r 1 4 2 v EY;\ 414% a H 1.1. 5 25 16 v gwwntou W a 45% /'\I W 'a 9' Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES ATENT-onion nuen c. ROSS, or 'roLnno, ANDHARRY, w.- FALCONER, on NEAR PERRYSBURG, OHIO;

- SAID ROSS AssIeNos. T SAID FALCONER.

IDENTIFICATION DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed April 8,

This invention ,relates to identification devices for vehicles and has for. its object the -provision of a simple and eflicient device of this character which is adapted to be readily secured to a part of the vehicle and when in place, ispractically impossible to remove without cutting or mutilating the associated part-s. Further objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

For purposes of illustration the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in

which: I

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the identification device secured to a vehicle part; Figure 2 is a top plan viewpartly in section of the device in assembled relation; Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the device and casing.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a vehicle part 1 and this may be the instrument board, the engine casing, or any other part. Secured to the part 1 is a metal casing 2 which may be rectangular in form and may be provided with a flange 3 extending therearound. The flange 3 may be rigidly secured to the vehicle part 1 in any suitable manner as by spot welding. Formed in the vehicle part 1 isa rectangular opening & registering with an opening 5 in the casing 2, the other sides of the casing being closed.

Disposed within the casing 2 and visible thru the registering openings 4 and 5 is an identification device bearing the serial number or license number of the vehicle and this device may consist of a plurality of metal blocks 7 having dove tails 7. on one side fitting into recesses 8 in adjacent blocks. End blocks 9 and 10 are provided and these are formed with one flattened surface to abut against the end of the casing, the block 9 being formed with a dove tail and the block 10 with a recess for engaging adjacent blocks. As shown in Fig. 1 the blocks 6 may have number or letters engraved, embossed or otherwise suitably formed thereon, although the design of the identifying matter on the blocks forms no part of this invention.

For holding the blocks in assembled relation each block is formed with an opening or passage 11 having enlarged portions 12 at opposite ends and adapted to register 1926. SeriaI No. 100,492.

with adjacent openings or passages in adjacent blocks. Extendingthrough the regster'ing passages is a twisted wire 13 having oppositely tapered end portions 14 terininating slightly short of theend of the passage inthe end blocks 9 and 10. For securely holding the blocks together'in as sembled relation and to provide a unitary arrangement cementitious material 15 is poured into the registering passages 11 and enlarged portions 12, entirely surrounding the twisted wire 13 and tapered end portions 1 1-. It will thus be seen that separation of the blocks from each other either longitudinally or transversely is rendered practically impossible. 1

d An outstanding characteristic of this invention resides in the provision of means for automatically locking the assembled blocks n the casing 2 when the block assembly is inserted into the casing. For this purpose the opposites sides of the blocks are formed with grooves 15, which are adapted to register with grooves 16 in the casing 2 when the block assembly is inserted into the easmg. Disposed in the registering grooves 15 and 16 are bowed leaf springs 17 and in this instance four springs are employed, two at each end of the block assembly.

In practice the springs 17 are first placed in the grooves 15 with the bow portion of the springs extending outwardly from the block assembly. By depressing the bow portions of these springs sons to lie flat in the grooves, it will be readily seen that the block assembly may be inserted into the casing 2 through the opening 4; in the vehicle part 1. After the block assembly has been inserted a suificient distance into the casing the springs 17 automatically expand into the groove 16 in the casing 2. Bythis means the blocks are held securely in place in the casing, and cannot be removed therefromr It will also be seen that the sides of the grooves 16 in the casing provide abutments 1 0 against which the bow portion of the leaf spring 17 may engage so as to prevent relative movement between the block assembly and the casing.

It is to be understood that other means 105 may be utilized for holding the block assembly in place and we do not desire to be limited to the use of leaf springs'which are loosely disposed in the grooves. For exam-- ple,-a1spring may be utilized which is fixed at one and and may permit the block assembly to be inserted into the casing, but will prevent removal thereof. It is also to be imderstood that although we have shown and described a construction which isthe best form known to us at the present time, the above is given by way oil illiwttatim and not of limitation, and numerous changes in details of construction and arrangement may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invent-ion, especially as defined in the a pended claim.

at we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An identification device for vehicles comprising in combination with: a vehicle part,

a casing to said part and having an opening a plurality of identifieation blocks in said casing visible through said openirw, said easing having opposed recesses and. said blocks having opposed grooves i'egistei'iag with said recesses, leaf springs loosely disposed in said registering grooves and recems for preventing removal of said blocks from the casing, and means for securin saidblocks in assembled relation, said meanseomprising a twisted Wire extending through said blocks and eementitious material snrronmling said wire.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto signed our names to this specification.

HUGH C. ROSS HARRY W. FALCONERJ; 

